Around Budapest

Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Danube River, Trnavský, Slovakia
Awaking after finally getting some sleep, it was time to start the journey in earnest. Breakfast was served buffet style with a wide variety and plenty to eat. We then embarked on our first excursion.

We boarded our bus and began our tour of Budapest . The driving tour took us past many of the older parts of the city, with very ornate buildings. Budapest is actually divided into two parts by the Danube River. There is the Pest section with many of the government buildings including the Parliament Building. Also located in this area are the Opera House, the Synagogue, and the Heroes Memorial. Pest is the flat area of Budapest.

Buda, on the other side of the river, is the hilly side of the city. On these hills are perched St. Matthias Church, the Fisherman Bastion, which was built to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Magyar arrival in Europe , the Gellert Baths and the Royal Palace. These buildings sit high above the city overlooking the Danube and the Pest side of the city. Near St. Matthias Church stands the equestrian statue of St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary. The architecture of Budapest had many influences including the gothic architects, the Turks and the Soviets who occupied Hungary after WWII.  

The top of the hills in Buda can be reached by road or cable car, and the two sides of the city are joined by nine bridges, two of which are the Bridge of Chains and the Elizabeth Bridge.

Later in the afternoon, we set sail up the Danube toward Vienna, which we will reach tomorrow afternoon. As we traveled up the Danube we passed small towns dipping down to the banks of the river and watched the residents enjoying a summer day at river's edge.

The day ended with the Captain’s Welcome Dinner as we continued to wend our way up the Danube.
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Comments

Laura
2011-08-21

Gorgeous pictures! And your outfit looks lovely, Mom! Keep having a great time!

2025-02-09

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